


tell the truth, but tell it slant

by sapphfics



Series: lockdown laments [2]
Category: Monster High
Genre: F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Holding Hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:59:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23495689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphfics/pseuds/sapphfics
Summary: “You’re holding my hand,” Clawdeem comments. Whispers, rather, as the audience gets particularly rude about talking out loud.Beside her, Draculaura giggles. It’s the kindest sound to come from a creature of the night, a vampire who subsists on vegetables instead of blood. Clawdeen is amazed she got her to come to a horror film, of all things. Especially in 3D. “Yes, I am. This boovie is terrifying! It was an emergency!”Or: Seven times Clawdeen and Draculaura hold hands.
Relationships: Draculaura/Clawdeen Wolf
Series: lockdown laments [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1681501
Comments: 16
Kudos: 154





	tell the truth, but tell it slant

**Author's Note:**

  * For [icemachine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/icemachine/gifts).



> originally posted on my [tumblr](https://elinanori.tumblr.com/post/614514998556983296/draculauraclawdeen-hold-my-hand-if-thats)...i miss monster high so much

1.

“You’re holding my hand,” Clawdeem comments. Whispers, rather, as the audience gets particularly rude about talking out loud.

Beside her, Draculaura giggles. It’s the kindest sound to come from a creature of the night, a vampire who subsists on vegetables instead of blood. Clawdeen is amazed she got her to come to a horror film, of all things. Especially in 3D. “Yes, I am. This boovie is terrifying! It was an emergency!”

“Don’t worry,” Clawdeen says, jokingly yet still protective. “If the aliens ever come I’ll protect you.”

(As it turns out, when the aliens come, they come in peace. Well, crash land in peace. And she’s very friendly.)

2.

“You’re holding my hand.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Thought you didn’t like me anymore. Cause of me dating Clawd.”

“My brother won’t ruin my friendships. Woah, check out the size of that needle!”

“You’re not helping!”

“You’re a vampire and you’re afraid of some stitches? Didn’t you, like, live through the Civil War?”

“I don’t remember, Normies have a lot of wars. You can’t expect me to remember what I did during all of them.”

“Well, my mom always used to say shut your eyes and count to ten and it’ll be over before you even get to ten.”

“Okay…count with me? And don’t let go, okay?”

“I was never gonna let you go. One, two, three, four-“

“Ow—wait, that’s it?”

“Yeah it is! I’m so proud of you!”

3.

“You’re holding my hand.”

“Yeah, we fell out of the sky about thirty seconds ago!”

“The map does tend to do that.”

“And you didn’t think to warn me?!”

“Hey, I would have caught you!”

Making sure they both have a tight grip on the map this time, Clawdeen turns to send a playful glare to Draculaura. Draculaura sticks her tiny pink tongue out in response, showing her fangs. Clawdeen wonders if the real reason werewolves and vampires hated one another for so long was that vampires always left out crucial information about their plans - like, for example, if a map was going to suddenly drop you and your friends out of the sky.

Clawdeen sticks her own tongue out, but as she does, some wind blows some of her hair in her face. She tries to shake her hair away from her face, but it isn’t working. Draculaura giggles, watching her for a few seconds before reaching out and tucking her hair behind her ear. 

Do all vampires have such soft hands?

(They’re older now, and Clawdeen can’t help but notice that sometimes they hold hands for no reason at all.)

4.

“You’re holding my hand.”

“Oh,” It’s funny because Draculaura hadn’t payed attention to it until Clawdeen mentions it. She isn’t saying it unkindly but Draculaura still sways in her heels, unsure.

“I mean, you don’t have to let go.” Clawdeen says.

“Oh?”

“Because, like, you just re-met your crazy mind controlling boyfriend who mind controlled you and then we met the literal goddess Cupid who helped us save you and you lost all memory of us and I thought I’d lost you forever. So, technically, it makes sense you wanna hold my hand since you just remembered I existed.”

“He couldn’t make me forget everything,” Draculaura whispers. “I didn’t let him. Never again.”

“He won’t ever come here again,” Clawdeen reminds her. “And if he does, I’ll set the whole pack on him.”

“Yeah,” Draculaura sighs.

They both sigh in relief that this is finally over, and that their lives will return to normal. Then Clawdeen looks again at their entwined hands and wonders if normality is ever possible for monsters.

“Hey,” Draculaura pokes her playfully. “What was that whole not wanting me to date your brother thing about? He’s not a bad guy, you know that, and he wouldn’t hurt me.” Draculaura mimicks her anger and Clawdeen sees where her cousin got the acting skills from.

“First, I don’t sound like that, and second, I don’t like change.”

(By now, they both know what real fear feels like and honeslty, there is nothing wrong with holding hands after something as traumatising as that.)

5.

“You’re holding my hand, again.”

“I’m trying to comfort you,” Draculaura says. “After all that stuff with the vampire boy, I’d rather you hold my hand than go wreck his car.”

“But wrecking cars is _fun_.”

“I know,” Draculaura says somewhat wistfully. “One time, my father was dating a woman and we found out she only wanted him for his money, so we drove her car into a lake. Ah, childhood.”

“You’ve got a weird definition of childhood,” Clawdeen remarks. “Weird, but cute.”

“I’m a vampire, I’m always cute,” Draculaura replies. They sit in silence for awhile, watching the crescent moon, hand in hand. They each know they should be poundering the ramifications of recent events, but they are both too tired. Draculaura stands and tries to yank Clawdeen up with her. “Come on, it’s late, we need to sleep.”

Clawdeen is hard to budge. Her eyes are unfocused, regretful and sad.

“You did the right thing breaking up with him. He was all bat. Besides, there are other fish in the sea. Third time’s the charm, right?”

Clawdeen still doesn’t move but Draculaura sees her grin, small and sharp like her.

Draculaura tugs on her arm again. “Seriously, ghoul, you have to get up.”

Finally, Clawdeen seems to find the willpower to stand. “You, Lala, are a weakling.”

“Am not!” Draculaura pouts. To prove her point, she puts both her palms on Clawdeen’s chest and tries in vain to push her backwards, leaning all her small frame against her. She needn’t have bothered; Clawdeen doesn’t move an inch. Chuckling, Clawdeen reaches down and bends Draculara’s elbows, causing her to lose balance and topple into Clawdeen.

“Thank you,” Clawdeen whispers. “For comforting me.”

“Yeah, well, you’d do the same for me,” (Now Draculaura is enjoying their brief and infrequent hugs a bit too much and she is beginning to worry.)

6.

“You’re hol—“

Draculaura stops abruptly as Clawdeen grabs her hand, pulls her closer and wraps her strong arms around Draculaura’s neck as tears threaten to spill from her eyes. Draculaura feels herself sigh and rest her head on Clawdeen’s. On her tiptoes, just over Clawdeen’s shoulder, Draculaura can see Clawdeen’s family all mourning with her.

“Thank you, Clawdeen. Thank you for everything.”

“Well I know you,” Clawdeen tells her. “Thought you’d appreciate my company.”

(Draculaura’s father is dead now, so she has no one left to disapprove of her growing feelings for her best friend.)

6.

“You’re holding my hand. Why?”

“Because.”

“Because?”

“Just because.”

“But why?”

“Oh, whatever!”

The look on Draculaura’s face tells Clawdeen something is truly wrong. She isn’t smiling or talking at the speed of light or even on her phone. She’s just sitting here on the Monster High lawn, limo and helpless, holding Clawdeen’s hand like it’s the only thing she can cling to.

“Draculaura, what’s wrong?”

“I broke up with Clawd.”

“…what?!”

“I’m so sorry, Clawdeen!” At this, Draculaura seems to explode and she moves into Clawdeen’s lap, clinging to her. “You let me date him after all that drama and I just broke his heart! I’m sorry for throwing it all away and I—“

“Hang on, back up a second. Why did you break up with Clawd?”

Draculaura suddenly quiets, just holding Clawdeen’s hand again.

“Draculaura?”

“I don’t know,” Draculaura finally admits. “I don’t know why I broke up with him. I just did. That’s the scary part.”

(Draculaura knows exactly why she broke up with Clawd, but she’s not going to admit it, even to herself.)

7.

“You’re holding my hand.”

“Hey, that’s my line,” Draculaura declares half heartedly as Clawdeen drags her into an empty Catacombs. “But seriously, why am I here?”

“It’s an emergency.”

“Oh?” Draculaura is intrigued. “What is it?”

“Do you love me?” Clawdeen steps closer to her.

“Uh, of course, what kind of question is this?”

“Just, answer me, please.”

“Of course I love you, you’re my best friend in the whole world!”

“That’s not what I meant. Do you _love_ me?”

“I…”

Clawdeen leans forward and kisses her, and suddenly the world has shifted. It all makes sense. So many words rush to her tongue but she can’t seem to say anything.

“I think I’ve been in love with you since I was sixteen.” Clawdeen confesses. Her hands are shaking. Draculaura takes them.

“I’ve loved you since the day we met,” Draculaura replies smoothly. “I win.”

Clawdeen’s eyes light up and she kisses her again.

(After graduation, they move in together and are happier than either of them ever knew they could be.)


End file.
